User blog:SgtNG/Interviewing Martin Johnson for Bio
I'll post the first three- -- How did you get the job with lightmare? -- Do you have any post secondary experience? -- Have you done any other professional work? PM lightmare-martin: wow you're kidding right? :) PM lightmare-martin: 1. I applied for the role. PM lightmare-martin: 2 & 3 - PM lightmare-martin: I've worked for Sony Computer Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Blitz Games, Volatile Games and numerous freelance projects PM lightmare-martin: I've also been involved in education in traditional and digital art as a course leader and tuytor PM lightmare-martin: tutor PM lightmare-martin: My development credits include... PM lightmare-martin: 'The Getaway' PS2 PM lightmare-martin: Black and White / Black and White Creature Isle / Black and White 2 PM lightmare-martin: PC PM lightmare-martin: Karaoke Revolution PS3 / 360 PM lightmare-martin: Dead to Rights: Retribution PS3 / 360 PM lightmare-martin: Monstermind FACEBOOK PM lightmare-martin: and of course Infinity Wars PM lightmare-martin: I've held the job roles of Artist, Course Leader, Senior tutoring staff, Senior Concept Artist, and an now currently Art Director of Lightmare Studios --- Holy smokes mate, the wiki bio guy is going to have a field day with this interview, I can just tell --- That's an impressive list PM lightmare-martin: I like to keep busy PM lightmare-martin: Oh I also worked on Fable for XBOX PM lightmare-martin: You can put that in my Dev credits after the B&W series --- alright PM lightmare-martin: Cheers --- (there's about 22 questions, just as a heads up) SO just when you have time, feel free to answer -- Did you always want to be an artist? PM lightmare-martin: Always -- Did you have any childhood inspirations? -- any artists that inspired you? PM lightmare-martin: Disney, Marvel, Ghibli, 2000AD, Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Ron Cobb, Chris Foss, Simon Bisley, Greg Staples -- Have you been with the team since the beginning of IW? PM lightmare-martin: no. PM lightmare-martin: They got about 6 months in before I joined ----But it was still before the game's launch? PM lightmare-martin: Yes. --- I recall seeing core cards with your name on it --- aye PM lightmare-martin: That's true ^ PM lightmare-martin: I started with the 2013 set PM lightmare-martin: And have contributed to alll sets thereafter PM lightmare-martin: The reason I don't output so many cards as Pat and Shiraz is that I also tutor Lightmare trainees --- A lot of the legendaries from what I've seen on the wiki PM lightmare-martin: My time is divided in such a way --- ah yea, the joint cards, I've seen them PM lightmare-martin: Nowadays, I do Common and Uncommon cards --- I heard they were also backers from the kickstarter PM lightmare-martin: I prefer my work to be seen PM lightmare-martin: Yes I worked with some Kickstarter backers to get their likeness into cards PM lightmare-martin: Jacob Hebert, Luke Cross, James Brewster and Bill Ingram to name a few PM lightmare-martin: Bill Ingram is sadly no longer with us, but he is immortalised as Sacullas The Hammer --- wow --- A popular card at that :) PM lightmare-martin: A timeless hero. -- So when you make a card, do you have a procedure? Playing music, or sketching it a certain way or something? PM lightmare-martin: The best way to answer that is provide you with my tutorial for the Alternate art of 'Angel of Virtue' --- I'll link it PM lightmare-martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BjaWkrNwI PM lightmare-martin: That is a perfect example of my procedure ---alright PM lightmare-martin: But to answer in text form, I establish a sketch, a good composition, a good balance of values all as a rough PM lightmare-martin: Not until the image satisfies as a thumbnail do I proceed with any detail PM lightmare-martin: Anyway that link is me creating a card and talking through the process --- okay -- Do you remember the first card you made? PM lightmare-martin: Yes it was 'Fill the Graves' PM lightmare-martin: I wanted to impress so I made it ambitious PM lightmare-martin: including 3D elements, camera shake and focus pull to sell spatical depth --- I think you achieved it PM lightmare-martin: Cheers! PM lightmare-martin: You know the card? --- Yep PM lightmare-martin: Great --- I had to manually create all 300+ card profiles on the wiki It'll be hard to forget them or their artists XD PM lightmare-martin: Ah so you know them all --- yep Probably too much of an IW nerd PM lightmare-martin: Well that was my first card. After that I did 'Candit' and 'Agent Coyle Firestarter' PM lightmare-martin: Can't recale the order of cards after that --- Firestarter won the wiki's poll for coolest legendary a while back PM lightmare-martin: There was high expectation from the team for me to perform according to my reputation PM lightmare-martin: I hope I delivered -- Do you have a favorite overall card or one from each set? PM lightmare-martin: One of mine or any ^ ? --- any PM lightmare-martin: Mad Monk --- Ah yea, one of pat's I think that's his face on it PM lightmare-martin: Or Give him a Jetpack. I really like what Pat does with switching poses PM lightmare-martin: I don't normally like Anime, but he uses that sliding mechanism of Anime really nicely --- It's one of the most nortorious cards -- Do you have a preferred faction to draw/ and or play as? PM lightmare-martin: I don't play much PM lightmare-martin: But I like to paint Flame Dawn cards PM lightmare-martin: my favourite so far being the guy on the motorbike --- From order PM lightmare-martin: Yeh. What's he called? --- I've seen it in the lore video- hasnt been mentioned yet, I dont think PM lightmare-martin: Yeh well, he's my fav FD card I've painted PM lightmare-martin: Tho I like FD / Sleeper too -- If you had to create a faction on the spot, what would you make? PM lightmare-martin: A faction that had bit titans ridden by small vunerable riders PM lightmare-martin: Something that had both a feel of indestructability and a sense of a weak point --- Shiraz mentioned a wizard faction with golbins, and since the game is sci-f i- goblins with guns PM lightmare-martin: Something NOT human. I feel there are too many human faction in the game --- Pat mentioned a splinter faction in another one PM lightmare-martin: There are all kinds of ideas for new factions PM lightmare-martin: I'd just like to see something monstrous and garganutan ---What do you guys use for constraints when coming up with the pictures? ---To keep it in the "IW vibe" PM lightmare-martin: I say anything goes PM lightmare-martin: If it describes the effect of the card, and it's a good illustration there need not be constraints --- I wasnt sure if the artist have total control or whether they get the request for "some massive explosion thingy spawning a demon" and then having to run with it PM lightmare-martin: I like to keep the content of the card up to the artist that's creating it, with the only proviso being that the player gets a good idea of what that card does when they look at the image --- It must lead to some interesting brainstorming sessions! PM lightmare-martin: There's very little time for such pre - production ^ PM lightmare-martin: Normally we just have to piant and go PM lightmare-martin: < paint > -- What's your setup at work? PM lightmare-martin: Two HD monitors at 27" side by side with a WACOM Intuos 3 PM lightmare-martin: Don't know enough about computers to describe the contents of my tower, but it does the job -- What do you do for fun outside of work? PM lightmare-martin: Paint and draw traditionally, Lift weights, Swim, Play guitar, Practice Wing Chun and Boxing, Spend time with my Wife -- Are any of the cards in the game based off of you? PM lightmare-martin: Resolute Knight PM lightmare-martin: That's me. --- ah, man! I should have known, I saw the interview you did with teremus PM lightmare-martin: And a good descrition of me generally. I'm no rookie PM lightmare-martin: :) PM lightmare-martin: Do you want the link to that interview for my Wiki page? --- sure, that'd be great -- Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? PM lightmare-martin: Always be painting, always be drawing. Never give up. Never compromise your lifestyle to the point where you're not creating art anymore. Always keep your hand in traditional media - Photoshop painting does not require courage, physical art does. PM lightmare-martin: Don't worship Art Heroes to the point wher it affects your own morale PM lightmare-martin: No one - whoever they are - is that good PM lightmare-martin: Lastly - BE an artist. PM lightmare-martin: Always ^ --- Thanks for the interview mate! Is there any parting words or advice? PM lightmare-martin: Keep rocking and thanks for playing! --- Cheers mate Category:Blog posts